Reality check for the much-hyped Origami PC

Bill Gates' vision of an ultramobile PC seemed like a winner: a device with all-day battery life, yet small enough to fit in a pocket and much cheaper than a laptop.

But as devices begin to come out a year later, reality still trails Microsoft's ambitions. The first generation of devices, being announced Thursday and already featured on Microsoft's site, are bigger, pricier and more power hungry than the software maker had hoped.

Microsoft acknowledges that instead of a mass-market hit riding a wave of prelaunch hype, these devices are likely to appeal only to the most hard-core gadget fans.

"This is definitely our first step in looking at the area of ultramobile PCs," said Mika Krammer, a Windows marketing director for Microsoft's mobile platforms.

Over the last year, several PC makers have been readying minitablets under the Origami code name. These minitablets are capable of running Windows XP along with a "Windows Touch Pack" that allows the devices to be more easily controlled using fingertip input. Microsoft expects that "gadget geeks" will make up most of the early buyers of the devices, which weigh roughly two pounds, pack a 7-inch screen and cost around $800.

"To really hit the mass market...in the hundreds of thousands and the millions of customers, we have to improve," Krammer said. The devices that begin shipping in April are likely to be more of a niche product, he said.

That's a far cry from the "dream" machines some envisioned when Gates first described his ultramobile concept last April.

In some ways, Microsoft has been the victim of its own success and some wild speculation. Rumors circulated that the company might have a portable Xbox or iPod killer in the works. Although Microsoft had hoped a teaser site would generate interest ahead of the launch, it had no idea it would create the buzz it did.

"We had anticipated some interest in what we were doing, but this has received a lot more interest than we expected," Krammer said.

In search of a market
The initial devices run the Tablet PC edition of Windows XP, along with the "Touch Pack," which includes new software for playing back media, as well as a "program launcher" that makes it easier to find and run programs stored on the device. New settings so make scroll bars and icons bigger and more easily navigated by a fingertip. Text can also be input using two thumbs via an on-screen keyboard. The software includes the popular puzzle game, Sudoku.

During a joint presentation with Intel at the CeBit trade show in Germany, Microsoft will show its software running on a Samsung device. Other Intel-based products are expected from Taiwan's Asus and China's Founder, while some companies, including Tablet Kiosk and PaceBlade Japan, are using processors from Via Technologies.

NPD Group analyst Stephen Baker was skeptical of how much appeal the first round of devices will have. "It's a product in search of a market," he said. It's too expensive for the things it does, Baker said, and is "too under-featured to do some of the other things it needs to do."

One opportunity exists, Baker said, if hardware makers can bring down the price tag by convincing cellular carriers to subsidize the product for buyers that sign up for new wireless service.

The Origami specification doesn't require any kind of wireless connectivity, but many of the devices will have Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or both. There is also the possibility of a cellular data modem, which would provide an option for the devices to be sold--and partly underwritten--by wireless carriers. Of course, such wireless technology also adds to the cost of making the devices.

Intel, too, sees a bigger market if the industry can produce smaller devices with better battery life and a lower price tag. It showed its concept devices on Tuesday at its annual Intel Developer Forum.

The first generation devices are "going to be great for early adopters," Intel Marketing Director Brad Graff said. But for the masses, "These are bigger than what we want."

As for the next generation, Microsoft is already working on how to equip future devices with Windows Vista, the operating system update coming later this year. Vista has built-in support for touch screens and power-management features that could be useful Origami devices. Krammer said Microsoft hopes to have ultramobile PCs running Vista available as soon as the new Windows version ships.

Origami hype

It doesn't look as if Origami has much of a future in business without a keyboard - virtual or otherwise. Just who, exactly, is this aimed at? At the moment it sounds like an expensive Playstation.

[Earl Benser]

First guess maybe correct.....

.... a cell phone on steroids, with no end of services to pay for. I
parked my Newtons a long time ago. I won't even bother buying
one of these.

[AlexRiedel]

And this is exciting why?

I have had a Fujitsu P1510D for a while now.
These devices are not any better, lighter, don't have a longer battery life and lack the keyboard to use make it a convertible.
I also have not seen a docking station.

Sorry Microsoft, a day late and a dollar short.

[Sentinel]

Where Am I?

Ha ha hah. Origami has made me laugh from the moment I saw the "mysterious" Flash promo on origamiproject.com. From the moment I saw it was a Microsoft product, I knew it would not be the revolutionary product they tried to make it seem on the promo. Don't get me wrong, the idea of a mini tablet PC, smaller and more portable than a laptop is very appealing, but not at the announced price tag. For a few more hundred dollars, I can buy myself a proper laptop, which seems to be less power hungry than these devices.

[Mr. Network]

I'm so excited!

No I'm not. I too knew all the hype was just that. It's nothing new or revolutionary, it's just smaller.

Here's my review in a word:

Weaksauce.


Back to work you slackers!

[jmmejzz]

Bad Timing

It would seem to me to be bad timing to "launch" these things in the shadow of Windos Vista. For a new hyped product not to be able to run Vista, which is not that far away, would have negative influence on the "geek" and first adopter buyer.

[andy_oh]

Didn't the tablet already bomb?

Ultramobile? I don't think I have any pockets that could fit this beast.

I think they should cut their losses with this tablet stuff and spend some money debugging the mess they've already created.

[Geeklan]

SuSe

I wonder if I can put SuSe on it?!

[matt02429]

Could be good

As a student who spends much of my down time in search of an open computer lab, i can say oragimi would be awesome IF, it weren't $1,000. I think students would be a perfect market, you could work on all of your papers right on the device, you could take notes on it ect. I would definitly be in the market for one if it weren' $1,000 I mean really i could buy a laptop these days for $500. Why would I bother with oragami? I think their problem is that they're trying to make this too many things... If this were more like a glorified dell axim then maybe id bite, but its reall a stripped down overpriced tablet pc...

[mopeon]

Missing most important feature today...

Built-in 3G! (IMHO) Using Bluetooth to connect to a 3G Bluetooth mobile adds $100s more to price tag - plus drains two batteries for the function of one.

Too bad MS missed this boat, again...

Will wait for Apple's iPuter. They'll get it right the first time.

[Norseman]

Now we know why they kept it a secret

It's another great example of the Microsoft design philosophy--"Designed by nerds-for nerds" (or in this case, for rich nerds!)

Looks like a badly targeted PSP

From all the hype it really unclear as to who this device is targeted at. It's certainly not a replacement for a laptop and it's certainly not a replacement for a more mobile device like a PDA or high-end cellphone. So who is the target audience.

[rayted32-191126880979139043961]

Put a Cell Phone in It!

This is a "tweener" device great for non-busines folks on the go. Shopping, travel, leisure time. Therefore, it needs to be an entertainment, shopping, information, connectivity device, including phone, for adults.

Point it at a storefront, it retrieves the latest coupon. Sit on a bench and watch the latest news/sports. Call your daughter in college and see her/she sees you. Take a picture with flash.

It'll fly! Just show the soccer moms and boomers!

[shikarishambu]

Taking a page out of Jobs' playbook

And, finally MSFT manages it - To create hype around its product that matched the kind of hype Apple always does.

Of course, the product is nothing great. But, hey, at least you got the hype part right!

[mtremain]

It's a NEWTON!!!!!!!

Funny stuff - looks like Microsoft came out with a Newton about a decade too late. Read this quote with the Newton in mind...
"It's a product in search of a market," he said. It's too expensive for the things it does, Baker said, and is "too under-featured to do some of the other things it needs to do."

[hugh dunnit]

I'd like one if

it didn't cost so much, wasn't so big, and wasn't just shrunken tablet pc.

If it has a touch screen, then make the device as big as the screen, why do I want all this extra real estate on the sides of the screen. The pictures of people holding it look like they are about to play a giant gameboy. No thanks.

It can't really be that expensive to make a portable PC with a touchscreen. lower the price!

I like the idea of running windows xp(vista really) on a small device that i can play music/watch video/check email/do work with/whatever a pc does. If I could actually run any program that works on windows on it I'd love it. Itd be great for car rides/planes/subway or for lunch time, down time etc. I think it could have alot of uses. I find my PDA to be too one dimensional. I have an ultraportable laptop, and it's fine, but something even smaller would be great.

Someone other then MS make this please.

[booboo1243]

Mobile Virus Generator?

MVG, yeah, that's it...

[bruscol]

Makes no sense with Digital Rights Management

This device makes no sense. I can get a 2 1.2 lb laptop with a 10 inch screen - yes it is more expensive - but it is also more capable. I can get a DVD player that looks like a tablet with the DVD built in for $400. What good is this without a DVD drive? If I could transfer DVDs to the hard drive - yes, I could see it - but is this intended to encourage people to download software to rip DVDs to the hard drive??

[SammySamad]

Hype was from the press!

This was hyped up by the press not MicroSoft. If this can eventually work upto a day with a battery charge and the price comes down, and if the Wi-Fi connectivity cost is not too steep - this will be a great hit. I'll buy one for sure.

[manishe]

Who will use this?

I mean, its too big to carry around casually like an ipod or palm pilot. I can't just slip it in my bag. And it lacks the functionality of a laptop so why would I bring this over a laptop? And why would I hook this up to an external GPS unit for navigation when I can just buy a standalone GPS receiver for 1/10 the cost and takes up 1/2 the dashboard space. When will we see an iPod sized device with camera, phone and full PDA functionality? Now that will deserve some hype!